Favorite belts.

Mike Quesenberry said:
Don, do you know the difference between the 967 and 977 belts? I'm always willing to try something new.
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Mike the 977 is designed for very high speed and heavy pressure.

The 967 is designed for slower speed with lighter pressure. The grit breaks down easier to expose new sharp edges.
 
Mike I also run wide open with heavy pressure but all three of my variable speed grinders are not fast enough to get long life from 977s. The 967s cut longer for me.

I don't really like to grind, so I've tried every belt made :D
 
I Had the same problem with blazes the cut like hell for the first two or three blades and then barely cut well enough to make want to keep them but not well enough to make you want to use them. I personally use the norton hoggers. They cut very good for two or three blades then cut good for the next five or six blades and then you throw them away.
 
Start with a 36 grit Norton (can't remember if it is blaze or hogger) for profiling and bevel setting. then move to 60 (same maker) to clean things up then to 120 (same maker) to finalize the shape and lines. After that is a 220 that I've had for a while as a "polishing belt" prior to heat treat.
 
Don Hanson III said:
Mike the 977 is designed for very high speed and heavy pressure.

The 967 is designed for slower speed with lighter pressure. The grit breaks down easier to expose new sharp edges.
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What do you consider "high speed"? My grinder tops out at 3500 sfpm.

I'm currently using the blue Norton zirc belts, but I'm not really thrilled with them. I agree with what other posters have said about the Blaze belts. After a couple of blades, they're not really that good. The extra cost wasn't nearly worth it for me.

Josh
 
I general you have 3 different types of grain which is suitable for metal grinding.
It is aluminium oxide for example Klingspor LS 312JF "yellow". AL. oxide characteristics are, that with grinding mineral become dull, grinding surface of mineral become flat, grinding area of mineral bigger and logically pressure smaller and more smooth surface-no deep scratches. Bad thing is that for example grit 120 in beginning works like 120, after time it works like 180,...240, so material has no constant result on metal . On the metal this mineral is only for finishing.

Second and the most used for metals is zirconium-its characteristic is that it need more pressure than Al. O., but it is always sharp. Zirconium mineral is like glass, when you brake it it is sharp, if you brake again, again sharp. That is why it leaves deep scratches in metals. If you need lot stock removal it is good to do with this mineral. It is especially good on stainless steels, less on carbon steels.

Third mineral is ceramic mineral, which need for optimum result even more pressure than zirconium, but life time is longer. One ceramic mineral is made from many smaller sharp parts, and when one small part stops working, falls out and than come another behind him-also sharp. It makes deep scratches on material-deeper than zirconium. Ceramic grain has very good results on carbon steel, and also stainless steel. It has only one weakness-high price.

From most producers you have than materials which has special top coat on top, which helps to reduce the temperature of working surface to the 86 degrees (F), and this is important that you do not overheat material or you have better chance not to overheat material, if you want, you can:D. For example Klingspor yellow has this top coat Klingspor names it "Multibond". The most used color for this top coat is green, but every producer put his own color for this coat.

Aluminium oxide materials: Klingspor LS309X, CS 310X, LS312JF, LS313JF
Zirconium materials:Klingspor CS 416, SIA 2800, SUNMIGHT R203
Ceramic mat.:3M 977, SIA2503, Klingspor CS910 ACT, VSM 760, VSM 870

I know that everyone has his own know how, but my suggestion for rough grinding, when you need good stock removal is definitively not much known material from producer SUNMIGHT with code R203. Quallity/price ratio is by this material the highest, comparing all materials. It is zirconium, but very close to ceramic by lifetime. And for finer grinding and finishing KLINGSPOR LS 312JF or LS 313JF.
Sorry for my english-hope you'll understand.
 
JoshEarl said:
What do you consider "high speed"? My grinder tops out at 3500 sfpm.

I'm currently using the blue Norton zirc belts, but I'm not really thrilled with them. I agree with what other posters have said about the Blaze belts. After a couple of blades, they're not really that good. The extra cost wasn't nearly worth it for me.

Josh
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Josh, by high speed, I'm guessing around 5000 sfpm. Try the 3M 967s.

Another thing to add, belts cut better and longer on a wheel than on a flat platen. The platen just kills a good belt pretty quick.

Svenson, that is good info.
 
Svenson said:
I general you have 3 different types of grain which is suitable for metal grinding.
It is aluminium oxide for example Klingspor LS 312JF "yellow". AL. oxide characteristics are, that with grinding mineral become dull, grinding surface of mineral become flat, grinding area of mineral bigger and logically pressure smaller and more smooth surface-no deep scratches. Bad thing is that for example grit 120 in beginning works like 120, after time it works like 180,...240, so material has no constant result on metal . On the metal this mineral is only for finishing.

Second and the most used for metals is zirconium-its characteristic is that it need more pressure than Al. O., but it is always sharp. Zirconium mineral is like glass, when you brake it it is sharp, if you brake again, again sharp. That is why it leaves deep scratches in metals. If you need lot stock removal it is good to do with this mineral. It is especially good on stainless steels, less on carbon steels.

Third mineral is ceramic mineral, which need for optimum result even more pressure than zirconium, but life time is longer. One ceramic mineral is made from many smaller sharp parts, and when one small part stops working, falls out and than come another behind him-also sharp. It makes deep scratches on material-deeper than zirconium. Ceramic grain has very good results on carbon steel, and also stainless steel. It has only one weakness-high price.

From most producers you have than materials which has special top coat on top, which helps to reduce the temperature of working surface to the 86 degrees (F), and this is important that you do not overheat material or you have better chance not to overheat material, if you want, you can:D. For example Klingspor yellow has this top coat Klingspor names it "Multibond". The most used color for this top coat is green, but every producer put his own color for this coat.

Aluminium oxide materials: Klingspor LS309X, CS 310X, LS312JF, LS313JF
Zirconium materials:Klingspor CS 416, SIA 2800, SUNMIGHT R203
Ceramic mat.:3M 977, SIA2503, Klingspor CS910 ACT, VSM 760, VSM 870

I know that everyone has his own know how, but my suggestion for rough grinding, when you need good stock removal is definitively not much known material from producer SUNMIGHT with code R203. Quallity/price ratio is by this material the highest, comparing all materials. It is zirconium, but very close to ceramic by lifetime. And for finer grinding and finishing KLINGSPOR LS 312JF or LS 313JF.
Sorry for my english-hope you'll understand.
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Great post :thumbup:
 
Don Hanson III said:
Josh, by high speed, I'm guessing around 5000 sfpm. Try the 3M 967s.

Another thing to add, belts cut better and longer on a wheel than on a flat platen. The platen just kills a good belt pretty quick.

Svenson, that is good info.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Don. I don't think I use anywhere near enough pressure to keep the zirc belts cutting. Can't believe I didn't realize this before.

What's a good source for the 3M 967s? I usually order from Tracy at USAKnifemakers, but he doesn't stock the 3M belts.

Thanks,
Josh
 
JoshEarl said:
Thanks, Don. I don't think I use anywhere near enough pressure to keep the zirc belts cutting. Can't believe I didn't realize this before.

What's a good source for the 3M 967s? I usually order from Tracy at USAKnifemakers, but he doesn't stock the 3M belts.

Thanks,
Josh
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http://popsupply.bizhosting.com/index.html

one of my favorite places to stock up.
 
Thanks, guys. I just ordered some 967s to try. I can't believe that all this time I've been using belts that are poorly suited to what I'm doing... :grumpy:

Josh
 
I've been using the 36 grit "AZ-X 2x72 Aluminum Oxide / Zirconia Combination Belts" from pops knife supply. they seem to work great for the price but I don't have anything to compare them too, I just got my grinder and this is my first set of belts.

btw what would you guys recommend for grinding the bevels? I ordered some cheaper belts from pops which work ok, but some of them don't stay flat on the platten unless you are applying pressure across the whole belt (they are x weight). should I be using a softer belt? I think the problem is specifically with the 120 and 220 belts I got.
 
hathegkla said:
I've been using the 36 grit "AZ-X 2x72 Aluminum Oxide / Zirconia Combination Belts" from pops knife supply. they seem to work great for the price but I don't have anything to compare them too, I just got my grinder and this is my first set of belts.

btw what would you guys recommend for grinding the bevels? I ordered some cheaper belts from pops which work ok, but some of them don't stay flat on the platten unless you are applying pressure across the whole belt (they are x weight). should I be using a softer belt? I think the problem is specifically with the 120 and 220 belts I got.
Click to expand...

I guess the problem is with your grinder, if the platen is adjustable try to move it forward a bit, I guess the platen is not lined with the wheels...
Emre
 
galadduin said:
I guess the problem is with your grinder, if the platen is adjustable try to move it forward a bit, I guess the platen is not lined with the wheels...
Emre
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I guess so. it just didn't happen with the heavier grit or the lighter grit belts though. it might have only been one belt, but I'll check out my rig again. the belt seemed to curve toward me on both sides (not just on one side like it would be with a crooked platen). I'll see if I can straighten things out and try again with a different belt.
 
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